General Meeting
First, Frank Keeney went over the SoCal Linux Expo. We set up a wireless network so anyone at the expo could use the Internet free with a wi-fi card. We had a booth and showed off all kinds of wireless gadgets. [see write-up here].
Frank & Mike Outmesguine then went over some recent pricing plans and hardware available for the various data services offered by cellular carriers nationwide (esp. SoCal). We focused on data plans using what is coming to be called the third generation wireless, or 3G. We grouped these types of 3G data services into two groups: Cell phone and cable, and PC-Card.
Frank covered the plans offered by the carriers with several cell phones capable of being used as a modem for your laptop or PDA. You could order the phone service, and use a special cable to connect a computer directly to the internet at speeds of about 100k. (more…)